Let’s get one thing out of the way – all those polish brands that promise “gel effect” without the use of an actual light are BS. “Gel effect” is just the new marketing term for “long-lasting” or “high shine,” and from my experience, the result tend to be a clunky mess. In Bag Snob Tina’s words, “If you want your polish to feel like glue for a few hours before finally drying, try it. Once gel effect dries, it takes all of 24 hours before peeling off in giant pieces. Granted, it doesn’t chip like regular formulas and will last longer if it doesn’t come off first, but with polish, there’s still nothing like the real thing.”

If you ask me, unless you’re a millionaire, there’s nothing quite as gratifying as the gift of money (or an Intermix gift card…there is no such thing as too many ALC dresses in my book!), but I realize that’s usually not appropriate and most people like giving more personal presents to their friends and family. If you’re at a loss as to something uniquely memorable to give a loved one, here’s some inspiration for ideas to suit a variety of interests.